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Posts Tagged ‘Venus in Aquarius’

Astrology of December 22nd, 2016: A Giddy Current

22 December 2016Written by Madame Ximon0 Comments

All of today’s astrological action happened during the first half of the day, with the second half of the day being a void-of-course period, and the aspects of the day have all been Lunar, so this is an outline of the influences on our instincts and feelings leading us into the afternoon and some suggestions about where we should go from there. Chances are that these influences will linger in our subconsciousness for a little while longer moving into the afternoon until being scattered on the timeless tide of the void-of-course.

The day started out with an early morning square from the Moon in Libra to Pluto in Capricorn, creating emotional intensity when our more peaceable instincts bumped up against our desire to maintain control (or the illusion thereof) in relation to our goals. Thankfully, that was followed shortly by the Moon trining Venus in Aquarius, putting our instincts and our affections in harmony, so even with the intensity of the Moon/Pluto square, the rough edges were hopefully smoothed out with Venusian friendliness.

Several hours later the Moon in Libra conjuncted Jupiter, and whatever we were feeling earlier may have gotten much bigger. That multi-hour gap between aspects was a benefit that hopefully kept the Plutonian influence from getting too unruly, but let’s not make assumptions about the potential for lingering feelings to get blown out of proportion. However, the Moon/Jupiter conjunction was very shortly followed by the Moon sextiling Saturn in Sagittarius, bringing some support in the nick of time in the areas of self-discipline and boundary setting.

That said, the morning ended with the Moon in Libra opposing Uranus in Aries (a flipped version of a natal aspect I know all-too-well), bringing sudden changes of mood and the urge to seek out the new and unusual. A bit of bravado may have come with this thanks to the current Aries posture of the cosmic rebel Uranus, so we would do well to use whatever remains of Saturnine caution to keep from diving headfirst into foolhardiness as we head into the afternoon.

The rest of the day is one long void-of-course period, so this is not a day for lofty new enterprises, contrary to what the remnants of that Moon/Uranus may suggest – even though we can try new things we should not build new foundations to projects we care about, or meet with new people we hope to depend upon in any way, as they are likely to turn out to be very different than whatever they seem like today. Since the void-of-course Moon favors routine and the Moon/Uranus opposition favors anything but, this afternoon may struggle with regard to productivity at work, but it’s not a completely useless time. This is a great time for reviewing the status of projects, correcting mistakes, and finishing what we can before kicking up our heels for an impromptu gathering of friends, and once we no longer have any responsibilities to worry about we definitely should try new things! That new restaurant we’ve been wanting to check out? Perfect! New games or creative experiments? Definitely. The void-of-course Moon is floating between its last aspect in Libra and its entry into Scorpio tomorrow morning, so we should join it and float through the current of giddy sociability and excitement that marks the entire second half of this day.

Astrology of December 19, 2016: Finding a Way Through

19 December 2016Written by Madame Ximon0 Comments

Today sees Mars enter Pisces in the wee hours of the morning followed by Mercury stationing retrograde in Capricorn and then a flurry of Lunar aspects across the rest of the day.

Mars entering Pisces changes our energy and drive from a logical, individualistic force to something softer, more spiritually and emotionally sensitive. Pisces is a mutable water sign symbolized by two fish tied together at the tails, swimming in opposite directions, indicating an ability to integrate opposites in both viewpoints and action. Mars in Pisces feels things out before proceeding, adapts itself to situations, flows through and around the players involved, and though it may tire more easily than Mars in Aquarius, in the end it has the quiet persistence of water flowing through even the tiniest crack in the wall. Mars in Pisces can find a way through when no-one else can.

This quietly adaptive energy that overcomes boundaries may be especially useful when navigating the beginning of Mercury retrograde today. At the very least, it can impart some patience in dealing with the potential technological and communication issues that so often characterize Mercury retrograde. With Mercury stationing so close to Pluto in Capricorn, there is an unusual intensity about this retrograde, as it forces us to examine the structures and hierarchies in our lives, the goals that we have pursued since December 2nd, where it occupied the same degree that it will when it turns direct again on January 8th. Pluto tends to break things apart into their essential components, decaying, dissolving, and forcing us to release that which no longer serves our purposes. Necessary? Yes. Pleasant? No.

This Mercury retrograde sees us turning inward at a time that normally encourages us to focus outward. Remember the Piscean fish tied together at the tail? Here is where Mars in Pisces may really shine, helping us to swim simultaneously within the social realms of Venus in Aquarius backed up by Jupiter in Libra and the introspective realm of Mercury retrograde in Capricorn intensified by both Pluto and the Sun.

Meanwhile, the Moon has its own instinctive plans for the day, some helpful, some not so.

Shortly after Mercury stations retrograde the Moon in Virgo opposes Neptune in Pisces. The Moon in Virgo is distinctly practical, and in opposition to Neptune in Pisces says “we’ll have none of that dreamy, confusing stuff here!” Neptune says otherwise. The confrontation between these two may put us in a fog during the early morning hours, but could also produce some interesting dreams well worth noting, with the combination of these two forces encouraging us to balance boundary-dissolving vision with detail-oriented organization.

Several hours later the Moon finds itself inconjunct Venus in Aquarius, and that Virgoan practicality may find itself struggling to understand another kind of larger vision, one that is both distinctly individual and idealistically social. With our values in this forward-thinking realm, our emotions may struggle to catch up, as our instincts during the Virgo Moon are to strive for exacting perfection while Aquarian vision is cognizant that human society is far from perfect, and not likely to be perfected by fussing over details at the expense of the larger picture.

The Moon in Virgo normally finds an ally in a trine to Mercury in Capricorn, but since Mercury is Virgo’s ruler and has just stationed retrograde, that Virgo Moon may find itself along for an introspective ride it didn’t bargain for. Thankfully, Virgo is good at compulsively fact-checking and fine-tuning details to prevent technological and communications disasters, so this trine may help to smooth over the beginning of this Mercury retrograde. With the Moon trining Pluto shortly after its trine to Mercury, that concern for details can also help to navigate the Plutonian intensity that marks this retrograde, and it is likely that we will have reason to be grateful for every little bit of help we can get in that department. Still, emotions may also be heightened by this aspect, so the afternoon is not likely to be mild or forgettable. This is a good start to the lessons we will be learning during this retrograde season.

The day ends with a late-night square from the Moon in Virgo to Saturn in Sagittarius. After a day of confronting potential shake-ups in our neatly-ordered plans, our patience and self-discipline may find itself stretched a bit thin, and we may have a hard time dealing with viewpoints that contradict our own. Given all that has contributed to a potentially exhausting day, we may be forced to confront our limitations through the effects of stress upon our health, so we are best off taking it easy tonight and giving ourselves some necessary self-care in order to keep from having our frazzled nerves lead to unhappy immune systems and a subsequent trip to the doctor. The Lord of Karma suggests that we go to bed early! And while Moon in Virgo perfectionism might have us chasing worriesome little details into the night, I suggest that we listen to the cosmic taskmaster here and give ourselves some well-earned rest. Chances are that we’re going to need it.

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(All aspect times are calculated for Pacific Standard Time. I do tend to speak in broad terms when I reference time on this blog, referring to time-frames like “morning” or “afternoon” rather than specific times, since I still have a lot of friends on the East Coast who read these posts and I’d like them to be pertinent to those friends as well as folks here on the West Coast.)

Tarot for December 18th, 2016: The Star

18 December 2016Written by Madame Ximon0 Comments

Today’s Tarot card is (XVII) The Star. Ruled by Aquarius, this card resonates well with Venus’ current placement in that sign.

The Thoth deck version of this card shows the long-haired figure of the Water Bearer with two vessels pouring forth crystalline streams with a lovely rose-coloured planet in the background and a star shining bright over all (bright enough that my phone camera had a hard time registering an image of this card without a dreamy halo of white all around it). While the figure corresponds to the star goddess Nuit, her depiction here is fairly gender-neutral, which is appropriate for the forward-thinking nature of this sign, and though there are roses of love and butterflies of transformative hope being born from the lower stream, still there is a quintessential Aquarian detachment to the figure, who is turned away from the viewer, focused intently on the emerging seven-pointed star within the upper chalice that mirrors the star on the planet and the star in the heavens above, the seven-pointed star that is a symbol of Venus.

The Star is wish magic, a focusing not simply of mind or speech or action or any combination thereof, but more importantly a focusing of values, the realm of Venus. What really matters to us? What does our whole being yearn toward, body, mind, and soul? Wish-craft isn’t simply idle curiosity expecting to bear fruit. Wish-craft focuses deeply, and is mindful of the consequences of that wish for both self and society. What we wish for doesn’t affect us in isolation – it reverberates from our consciousness and experience to that of others around us. And what we take in, what we reinforce and believe, these affect the outcome of our wishes. In order to have a chance of making what we wish for come true, we have to believe in the possibility of it coming true. We have to trust that we live in a universe where it can come true.

Thus, The Star is about trust in the universe, trust in the cosmic order. It shows when we are on the right path and lets us know that all will be well in the end. And with this card being within the realm of Venus in Aquarius, both via the seven-pointed star imagery and its current appearance in the time of an Aquarian Venus transit, we are reminded that the process of manifestation inherent in wish-magic is a process of love. Hope, faith, and help from unexpected sources all come forward through this card and the principles it invokes. Now is a time in which our confidence can be bolstered and our interconnectedness affirmed in service of our goals. We are encouraged to tap into our inner knowing, the sea of unconscious knowledge that ties us to our ancestors and all of humanity, and listen to our dreams. The Star is our reminder: Dreams can come true!

Astrology of December 17th, 2016: Benevolent Leadership

17 December 2016Written by Madame Ximon0 Comments

The wee hours of this morning started today’s astrological activity with the Moon in Leo opposing Venus in Aquarius. Venus in Aquarius is not necessarily comfortable there, since she is all about getting in close and Aquarius prefers to remain detached. A Leo Moon opposing her is simply confronting her with this discomfort, since the Moon is in a passionate place much more suited to Venus’ style. So, the day has started with a feeling of being at odds with passionate instincts and cool affections, a hot-and-cold exchange that may have made things a bit uncomfortable on the interpersonal front this morning.

That discomfort was followed and perhaps exacerbated some hours later by the Moon in bold Leo inconjuncting first Mercury in cautious Capricorn and then Pluto in Capricorn again, for a morning that has required careful balancing between what we say and what we feel, with tension between our instinct to take center stage and a need for control that suggests we’d be better off manipulating circumstances from behind the scenes.

This afternoon will hopefully ease that tension, however, with a trio of favorable Lunar aspects in steady succession. First, the Moon in Leo sextiles Jupiter in Libra, magnifying our instincts toward Leonine grandeur and generosity with Jupiter in Libra’s own magnanimity and concern for social harmony. Jupiter in Libra is a gracious ruler breathing rarified air, and his influence on our emotions and instincts during his contact with the Leo Moon encourages us all to be benevolent leaders in our own kingdoms. We can afford to be tolerant and kindly today, even where we otherwise might not.

The Moon in Leo trines Saturn shortly thereafter, bringing Saturn’s steadying, disciplined influence to whatever visions of grandeur the Moon/Jupiter sextile may encourage. This tempers our courage and desire for self-expression, making this afternoon a good time to get things done at a steady, leisurely pace. After all, the king of the jungle is hardly ever in a hurry! That is, until a trine from Uranus in Aries adds some electricity to our pace. 😉 That Moon/Uranus trine and the Grand Fire Trine that it forms with Saturn in Sagittarius is a great way to finish out the afternoon and set the tone for an evening out among friends or exploring new scenes and ideas. Uranus loves all things new and forward-thinking, after all, so if there’s someplace new where you’d like to make an impression with a little lordly help from the Leo Moon, tonight is the night! Leonine confidence combined with Uranian curiosity and Saturnine caution to steady you give this night great potential to expand your own influence and enjoy the best of neighboring realms with the perfect mixture of spirited strength and self-assurance.

Tarot for December 14th, 2016: Queen of Swords

14 December 2016Written by Madame Ximon0 Comments

Today’s Tarot card is the Queen of Swords, the Ice Queen herself.

All of the Queens represent a watery influence in their respective suits, so in this case we are looking at the influence of water in air. Since the court cards can represent actual people in our lives who embody the principles symbolized by their respective cards, the Queen of Swords can be seen as a middle-aged woman with a fair but chilly demeanor. She has gone through the School of Hard Knocks, and she is past the point of putting up with shit. She applies her intuition to her reason, knowing when to wield the sword of intellect and cut through the crap. That head she’s holding in her left hand? Yeah, tyrants and dictators and abusive bosses beware…

The thing to remember about the Queen is, she isn’t emotionless, though she may seem uncompromising when it comes to removing barriers to clear thought and communication. She can appear remote, but it is her intuitive, emotional side joining forces with her intelligence and accumulated knowledge which allows her to see so clearly what needs to be done. This is some hard-won wisdom that she is applying with that sword. What she’s already lived through should not deny her the ability to have hopes and dreams for the future – she may not be a naive young girl any more but neither is she dead, nor useless, despite a patriarchal society and its marketing teams’ best efforts to persuade her otherwise. The Queen’s alignment of intuition and emotion with logic and reason give her a capacity for intelligent flexibility and liberation from the illusions that the patriarchal machine imposes upon our identities. She is not defined or restricted by anyone’s ideas but her own.

The Queen entering the field today suggests that it is time to honor our inner survivor. We need to take stock of what we’ve learned, take the time to heal our wounds, and prepare ourselves for where we may next need to wield the sword of reason in alignment with our intuition. Given that the Moon in Cancer today invokes mother in all her forms, both kind and terrible, we may wish to consider the examples set by our own mothers, for good and ill, and honor the strengths that we have learned as a result of that connection (or lack thereof) in our lives.

This is also a time to honor the individualist within us. Venus in Aquarius resonates well with the Queen, so now is a good time to see the Aquarian qualities of the feminine within ourselves, conscious of the need to walk our individual paths while simultaneously helping the growth of our society. Our inner female scientist, teacher, mathematician, programmer, engineer, and leader – these are the archetypal Aquarian women whose traits we can recognize in ourselves and draw strength from to meet the challenges ahead. The Queen of Swords is a keen observer capable of applying fresh perspectives to the knowledge based on her experience, and if we pay attention to the details that she observes we can make a necessary decision based on own experience and informed by our intuition without being weighed down or misled by our emotions. Now is the time for us to be decisive and direct, and to communicate our will accordingly.